


Great Happiness and Tradition

by numbah34



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: ...although really it doesn't have to be read as a first date, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Chinese New Year, F/M, First Dates, Fluff, Lunar New Year, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:47:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23149516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/numbah34/pseuds/numbah34
Summary: Lance and Pidge try out some traditions on a Lunar/Chinese New Year Lantern Festival date.Happy Year of the Rat!
Relationships: Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt, Lance/Pidge | Katie Holt
Comments: 5
Kudos: 18
Collections: The Conservatory Events





	Great Happiness and Tradition

**Author's Note:**

> Plance Discord Server reverse bang mini event!  
> [Ivy](https://anchoredtetherart.tumblr.com) drew a fantastic picture, [Lee](https://a-haunted-sock.tumblr.com) colored it, and I took inspiration from their work and wrote a little story. It was, as always, a blast collaborating with them! Check out the [artwork](https://anchoredtetherart.tumblr.com/post/612630865701470208/for-the-conservatory-server-event-we-did-a), and please enjoy!

“When did the kind-hearted cow last place second?”

“Oh,” Lance radiated confidence. “I’ve _got_ this.”

———————————————————————————-

Pidge marveled at the large, squishy owl plushie now snuggled in her arms, her eyes almost sparkling in delight. “I can’t believe _this_ was the prize for that trivia question! …I mean, I guess I’m also shocked that there even was a prize for solving a lantern riddle, but I’m not complaining.” Her gaze shifted to her tall companion, practically strutting beside her. “I’m really impressed you knew the answer.” 

She beamed at him, and his cheeks colored slightly at the praise. “What can I say?” he shrugged. “2009 was a good year,” he preened. 

“Weren’t you in elementary school?” Pidge raised an eyebrow.

“Those were good times,” Lance shot her a grin that made her cheeks color. “You should’ve seen me in our Chinese New Year parade that year.”

“Chinese New Year parade?”

“Oh, yeah! The school had a really diverse student body, so the teachers liked to highlight different cultural celebrations. That year, our class decided to dress like the year’s zodiac animal, so we were a whole herd of little cows and oxen.”

“Pictures or it didn’t happen,” she cocked a challenging smile.

“I’m sure my mom would be _delighted_ to show you the album.”

She tucked her greige owl under one arm. “Are you sure me seeing your pictures won’t make you ‘have a cow’?” she grinned and playfully elbowed him.

He caught her elbow and slid his hand down her arm until her own hand was clasped in his. “Nah,” he winked, “my costume was great. Kaltenecker would be proud…”

Pidge felt herself blush to the tips of her ears. She looked down, her gaze sliding over their entwined fingers for a moment before glancing off to the side, as though to take in the scenery of the festival.

Lanterns lit up the busy street, casting a golden-reddish glow on the festival-goers. Pidge thought it fortunate that the color of the light, combined with the deepening sunset, was probably covering up the redness of her face. How he managed to cause this reaction in her _still_ … She wondered idly if having a red face on the New Year counted toward good luck.

“Hey, are you hungry?” His question broke her out of her musing. Pidge, thankful for the distraction, looked up to find Lance looking toward some food stalls.

She nodded enthusiastically. “I could always go for some tangyuan!”

They made their way toward the delicious smells and sounds of popping frying oil and vendors promoting their wares.  
“What’s your favorite filling?” Lance asked as they queued up in line. 

“Peanut, of course!” She half-rolled her eyes at him. 

“Not too dry?” he raised an eyebrow.

“Not when it’s in a dumpling.” She paused. “…Huh.”

“What’s up?”

She looked around, and then shook her head. “…thought I heard something. Guess it was nothing!”

As they ambled away after receiving their food, Pidge had to stop for a moment to enjoy a bite of the treat, closing her eyes, unable to stop a contented smile as she savored the lightly sweet flavor. 

“Better than food goo, I take it?” Lance smirked.

“So much better,” Pidge agreed, swallowing. “…I wonder if filling these with food goo would make the goo better?”

“That sounds like a Hunk question,” Lance said. “I would say, why mess with a good thing?”

“The goo or the rice ball?” Pidge quipped, then suddenly stopped in her tracks. “…there it is, again…” she murmured, turning her head from side to side, scanning the ground. Lance stopped and looked at her questioningly. Before he could ask, she turned to him and said, “Do you hear squeaking?”

“Um.” Lance blinked. “Now that you mention it… yeah.” He squinted as he glanced around, trying to confirm the source of the familiar squeaking. “Does it sound like it’s getting closer _ **WHOA**_!!”

Two mice suddenly sprang from one of the surrounding trees, landing squarely on Lance’s head. Quick as a wink, they scrambled down onto his shoulder, squeaking excitedly. 

“Chulatt? Chuchule?” Pidge held a hand up, and the smaller of the two mice scampered onto her outstretched palm. 

“Were you two following us?” Lance asked, scratching the spot on his head the mice had used for a landing deck. Chuchule chittered happily at him, as though in answer.

“Aw, I guess they were just enjoying the festival, too!” Pidge smiled, and offered a little piece of tangyuan to Chulatt, who accepted it eagerly. Pidge couldn’t help a giggle escaping at the little mouse’s fervor. “‘Year of the Rat’ must mean that you guys are the guests of honor!”

The sound of her laughter brought a smile involuntarily to Lance’s face. Even if he hadn’t done much cleaning, even if he wasn’t wearing a lot of red (did piloting the Red Lion count?), with her by his side, he felt like he was the luckiest.

Having finished their rice balls, Lance reached over and took her hand once more. “I think I saw a neat little garden just past those stalls over there,” he pointed. “Wanna go check it out?”

“Sure!” Pidge grinned. “Most of my allergens are dormant this time of year, so I should be okay.”

“Pidge, come on.” Lance grinned back. “As if I would ever put you in harm’s way.”

“Maybe not intentionally.”

Lance feigned shock. Pidge laughed mischievously, and he couldn’t help but join in. 

They left the main drag of stalls, and started to cross a small footbridge. Lance stopped suddenly with a short intake of breath. Pidge looked at him curiously. 

“Pidge; look,” he breathed. She turned her head and looked in the direction his eyes were staring.

“Whoa,” she sighed. “That… is a lot of fireflies.”

In the twilight, away from the ambient light of the festival lanterns, there appeared hundreds of tiny globes of light, swirling, flickering, lazily illuminating the patches of darkness. They could faintly hear music from the festival drifting through the trees; the blinking of the lightning bugs seemed almost to coordinate with the peaceful melody. 

Lance and Pidge quietly watched nature’s lantern display as the sky grew darker and the moon rose higher in the sky, adding another layer of illumination to the scene. Lance’s gaze shifted to Pidge, noticing how her eyes seemed to sparkle in the light. He smiled and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Feeling the light pressure, she looked up at him and beamed. Lance was overcome with the feeling that there was no one more stunning; he suddenly felt ever the slightest bit bashful.

“So, uh…” Lance rubbed the back of his neck as he glanced over his left shoulder in an attempt at indifference, “do you know if it’s… traditional… to, um… get a kiss? On Lunar New Year? You know…” he hurried, “for luck?”

“Well,” Pidge’s expression turned contemplative as she awkwardly reached up with her free hand, arm still firmly around her owl, to rub her chin. “A kiss at midnight is generally a tradition associated with the beginning of the new year on the Roman calendar. I haven’t heard of something like that being done at Lunar New Year, and really, since celebrations stretch over about 23 days instead of a single night, it would probably be impractical-“ Pidge looked up and noticed Lance’s expression redden and drop slightly, and his meaning dawned on her. “…But,” she continued, squeezing his hand, “who’s to say it wouldn’t be lucky anyway?” She stepped closer. “I mean… I guess we could always start our own tradition?”

Lance’s face lifted. Without another word, he leaned down, his left hand lifting her chin tenderly as their lips met. 

The squeaking teasing of the mice brought them back down to earth. They smiled shyly at each other, and Lance tucked a stray strand of hair behind Pidge’s ear.

“So… wishing you great happiness and prosperity in the new year,” Pidge said.

“Thanks, Pidge, but I don’t really need the new year to bring me great happiness,” Lance replied. 

“Oh, really?” Pidge stepped closer as Lance put his arm around her shoulders.

“Yep,” he said. “I only need you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](https://numbah34.tumblr.com)!


End file.
